Dewsbury Rams aiming to pull off upset of season in huge test at high flying Wakefield Trinity

Paul March’s bottom of the table side are looking to pull off the upset of the season when they make the short trip to play neighbours Trinity at their DIY Kitchens Stadium for an 8pm evening kick-off.

It is something of a free hit for a side playing better than their results, but now set to come up against the biggest budgeted side in the division who are proving week in, week out to have spent their money well.

Wakefield come into the game with a 100 per cent record from their nine league matches and heading for Wembley in the 1895 Cup.

Daryl Powell’s men have tasted defeat only once since relegation when narrowly going down 14-10 at Featherstone Rovers in a Challenge Cup tie in March.

In contrast, Dewsbury have only won once since winning promotion back to the Championship and have suffered defeats in their last seven matches.

In their last two they have been ahead in the first half only to run out of steam after the break against strong sides in Sheffield Eagles and Featherstone Rovers.

Promising patches of play are being ruined by sloppy periods when they are being punished and March who recently took over as Rams head coach summed it up after the latest match when he said: “Forty minutes we looked good for out there, we had a 100 perf cent set completion in the first half and then we’ve come out in the second half, not completed two sets and they’ve got a roll on – and the rest is history.”

The Rams were strengthened for the Eagles game with the return of hooker Reiss Butterworth on an initial two-week loan from Hull KR.

The 24-year-old captained the Rams to Betfred League One glory in 2023 before getting his move to a Super League club and came off the bench at the Olympic Legacy Park.

Butterworth made 62 appearances in his first spell with the club, scoring eight tries, and also picked up the Betfred League One Player of the Year Award last year.

On his return, March said: “He’ll add spark around dummy-half and he’s a very strong defender. With him coming in he’ll add more competition for places.”